Roller derby is one of the fastest growing sports and one of the most openly inclusive. Polly Dennison spoke to the Sheffield Steel Roller Girls about why they love the sport, what it takes to be a derby girl and what inclusiveness means to them.
Two skaters, stars on their helmets, are locked in a race around the track, pushing their bodies forward to gain precious inches. A referee is skating by their side, carefully monitoring whose foot is first. The two have broken away from their pack of derby team mates and are speeding to return. At any second one could knock the other to the ground or skate outside the marked zone in their focus to win. First to get back to their pack and lap them again gets the points. One has gained, marginally, just enough to hit the pack first. They meet with three women who jostle and block, anything to stop their opponent. The trio are bound through grip, their fingers embedded in each others upper arms. Players wear bruises like trophies, they are a sign of a good game played and of the strength of the team. The sound of skates on lino, the din of helmet to floor and the encouraging shouts of the skaters to their team mates echo around the dilapidated hall that houses the plexiglass-fenced rink. The two teams of the Sheffield Steel City Roller Girls, the Crucibelles and the Sheffield A's are having one of their three weekly practices on a thawed ice hockey rink at Skate Central on the city’s Queens Road.
Many players start with little or no skating experience and go through multiple rigorous twelve week training programmes to build up to the skills for derby, such as falling safely or skating 27 laps of the track in five minutes. Some players need a few attempts to pass, but their fellow trainees and the senior team mates are always on hand for advice and tips. "It’s the most supportive thing I’ve ever been a part of!" says Tilda Raynes, grinning widely and clutching her hands to her chest, as knee and elbow pads clash, “there’s no can’t – it’s can’t yet. You can’t jump or pirouette or 360, yet.”
"There's no can’t – it’s can’t yet. You can’t jump or pirouette or 360, yet"
Founded in 2008, The Sheffield Steel City Roller Girls teams have grown in numbers, in line with the trend for roller derby internationally. They currently have 77 paying members, with 29 members forming their two teams. According to some, flat track roller derby is the fastest growing sport in the world, particularly among women. In the UK, there are over 60 leagues, while the women's World Flat Track Roller Derby Association (WFTDA) has 426 full and apprentice leagues from Japan, the West Indies and everywhere between. Men’s roller derby is also growing, but with only 61 leagues listed worldwide, it is clear to see this sport is being led by women. A recent global survey conducted by the WFTDA showed that approximately 30,000 respondents are now taking part in 79 countries. A considerable growth from one team in Texas just twelve years ago.
Roller derby originated in the United States, where Leo Seltzer’s Transcontinental Roller Derby toured the country with its raised velodrome-style track from the 1930s to '70s. Seltzer’s show developed over the years from a simple race on skates to a game where players purposefully clashed and crashed. Although similar to the modern sport, Seltzer’s derby was ultimately less about athletics and more about putting on a show. There were rounds which were exclusively designed to entertain audiences. "There were fights which broke out between players" says Tilda who is the Engagement Team Lead for the Sheffield Steel Roller Girls and Crucibelles team member, “and like wrestling, it looks like they’re punching each other, but they aren’t. It was just about showmanship.” But now, even though players still have fun with their uniforms and make up, the athletic element takes precedence. “It’s kept its sense of humour, while it’s still a sport” says Tilda, "We are athletes though, it takes a hell of a lot to train for 90 minutes twice or three times a week and to play in an intense and a high adrenaline situation."
"Representation is very important. If you never see yourself in other people doing something, then it's so much harder to take that step and put yourself in that situation."
For the women of the Sheffield City Roller Girls, the combination of contact sport, camaraderie, showmanship, inclusivity and the DIY culture is what attracted many of them to the league. "There is a massive sense of community and we all support each other" says Tilda, “If someone asks a question [through their Facebook group], you can guarantee about 30 responses within a minute. We help each other with anything – looking for a plumber, or a babysitter, or a lift to training.” Tilda, a university administrator originally from Essex but a Sheffield resident for the past 8 years wanted to join after seeing the derby film Whippet and watching the Cambridge Rollerbillies in action at a match. “I felt like I could do this, it wasn't completely beyond me,’ explains Tilda, “I think it’s because you’re looking at people with all these different body types and they identify with you and your body shape. Representation is very important. If you never see yourself in other people doing something, then it’s so much harder to take that step and put yourself in that situation.”
For Lauren Brough, a young mum of one and coffee shop manager, the team support is just one aspect which makes the almost four hour round trip from Doncaster every week worth it. “I’ve never played a sport where they are so welcoming”, she says, “I lost a lot of friends when I had my little one, but now I’ve got a team-full of them.” As she continues, her team mates nod in agreement that it was doing something for themselves which was part of the appeal. “I’d gotten into a slump, I was getting up, going to work, going home” she says, “My little son is awesome, but sometimes you just need time for yourself. It’s something for me and now I’ve got so much more energy to do more things with him.”
Non-skaters are also welcome in derby, as Emma Boulton from Sheffield found. “I had seen a couple of rounds and I knew I wanted to get involved” she says, “But, I also knew I wouldn’t be a skater. So, I emailed them and they just said to come along. I did and was handed a stop watch.” That was over a year ago and Emma is now the Non-Skating Official (NSO) Co-ordinator for the Steel Rollers, training others to observe matches officially and take note of points and penalties.
"Sport is important and if you're a marginalised group, you need community even more, not to be excluded from another thing."
Derby teams encompass people of all shapes and sizes, allowing more individuals to get involved. "Look at the women here – there are so many different body types and different skills and roller derby has so many different positions that can utilise those skills" says Tilda. “You can't say that there’s one standard. There’s no need for it – it’s not a gymnastics competition where tiny bodies must fit a standard. Sport is important and if you’re a marginalised group, you need community even more, not to be excluded from another thing.”
Some players in the Steel Rollers have come to roller derby from a variety of other sports. Some, such as the former rugby players, had to stop playing due to injuries but missing the exhilaration of playing a team contact sport, tried derby and found it suited them. “Just because it’s contact doesn’t mean it’s high-impact.” says Tilda, “You’re not running or jarring – skating is really smooth.
We have people with back issues as well and you can build up a lot muscle to help, but without the pavement pounding that would be involved in other sports.” Roller derby’s ethos of inclusivity is broader than many other sports. Some leagues across the UK openly state on their websites that they welcome those who self-identify as female and both the WFTDA and the UK Roller Derby Association (UKRDA) have developed inclusion policies for transwomen. Just this month, the WFTDA released a statement, backed by their 426 leagues, saying they welcome people who identify as transgender*, intersex or gender expansive. The association are now allowing these individuals to play and compete in their leagues. The WFTDA’s new policy allows the player to decide what type of team is best suited to them and where they feel comfortable. The UKRDA was ahead of the World Association, announcing in 2014 a similar policy of inclusion, protection and safety for transgender* skaters in their leagues.
"Would opening derby up to more people mean that it would lose its alt culture?"
Despite offering the opportunity to engage with sports and physical exercise to a broad range of people, the Sheffield Steel Rollers receive little or no external funding. They do not have an official home and their teams have to make do with the former ice hockey rink with a splitting floor, inadequate changing facilities and a sports centre which can't always accommodate their training sessions. The league was awarded a grant from Sportivate, a legacy project of London 2012 and the National Lottery which funds initiatives aimed at engaging more young people in sports. Because of this, the Steel Rollers are able to offer 8 weeks of free training and use of equipment to 18-25 year olds. However, all others interested in joining must pay £35 per month for the league to be able to operate. The league is owned and operated by the members, for the members, something that is inherent to most roller derby leagues. "It’s a very democratic sport," says Tilda, “it can be hard to get stuff done sometimes because we have committees and it can be hard to reach agreement. But I’d rather have it that way than one person making all the decisions which could get a bit nasty and less fun.”
Roller derby is outside the main stream; it is edgy with elements of punk and rockabilly culture. With more funding, the league would be able to reach and engage more people in the sport, but it could also bring it into the main stream in a way it has never been before. Despite being one of the fastest growing sports at the moment, it has managed to retain its different-ness, its inclusivity, its DIY nature and democratic systems. Would providing more funding and opening it up to more people mean that it would lose its alt culture, something which is part of the appeal to its members?
Hormone samples are currently not required from players competing at world cup level in roller derby. From speaking with the Sheffield Steel Roller Girls, this is not something they would like to see happen in their sport as they feel it would only lead to exclusion. Would becoming a more professional sport mean this would have to be considered? Or is the sporting world ready to face and deal with gender diversity? As roller derby grows as a sport globally, the leaders and players will have to consider these and many other issues. Relatively speaking, it is still a very new sport and as it attracts more people and becomes more visible, it will no doubt face new challenges and continue to skate new ground. Watch this space.
Copyright text: Polly Dennison.
Header image: Terrence McNally
Image 1: gt8073a
Image 2: Amelia Sommer
Image 3: flattop341
Image 4: Library of Congress
